Dan Quinn finally answers biggest question regarding Commanders’ defensive scheme changes
Dan Quinn says new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones will have full control of the defense, and he’ll implement his own scheme.
The Washington Commanders are looking ahead to the 2026 season with aspirations of a much-improved defense after falling to the bottom-three of the league in top categories last season.
Head coach Dan Quinn struggled to make any changes until the defense hit rock bottom last year, and he knew he had more to make after the season. He decided to finally move on from Joe Whitt Jr. when the season ended, and now Daronte Jones is taking over as the new defensive coordinator.
There was one question that remained unanswered that Quinn finally addressed in his press conference on Tuesday, and it’s the right answer.
Dan Quinn says Daronte Jones is in control of the defense
All offseason, we figured Quinn would go the comfortable route of bringing in a familiar face like Raheem Morris as the new defensive coordinator, but he changed his ways for once. Jones was an outside hire who runs his own scheme, and it’s not Quinn’s scheme at all. Would that be a problem, though? Not at all, according to Quinn, who says Jones will implement his own scheme, and he has full control of the defense, not Quinn.
“I wanted to be very clear with him on that, that this would be his system,” Quinn said. “I think it’s hard to think for someone else. So I wanted to make sure, like coming here, he wouldn’t have to run my system, learn it. I said you’re coming here to install it, man. And I’m going to be here to support you, give you insight when you want it, but putting that system together. It’s funny, actually, going through the whole process with him; Donna was exciting for me, too.”
“I like that the learning can be different, and what needs to be different and what can be better. And so those were things that fired me up. But ultimately, like we’re putting in a new system, and it’s going to start with his vision, with his terminology, the wording that we use, the communication that we say, and that’s how it has to be. I think it’s difficult for someone else to come in and think like someone else. I want him to be able to fully express how he wants to coach it, and that was important for me to share with him.”
Daronte Jones will revive the defense
The Commanders needed a new scheme, and Jones will bring a new look to the defense that also puts the players in the best position to succeed. Scheme means nothing if you’re asking a player to do something outside of what they’re capable of, and without proper technique. Jones has already done a deep dive into every player on defense and put together what they’re good at and what they need to work on.
Jones also said they won’t run just one scheme on defense, but “multiple” instead. Don’t expect to see a set 3-4 or 4-3 defense, but different looks to confuse offenses often. He added that he’s going to maximize what the players do well and minimize the things they don’t do well. Jones wants his players to adapt, but he’s also going to adapt the defense to put the players in their best situation to succeed.
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